


A Simple Class

by Merfilly



Category: Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Foreshadowing, Gen, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-18
Updated: 2014-05-18
Packaged: 2018-01-25 15:56:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1654208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Grodd's attack, J'onn is giving a class on mental discipline. Only, one student is quite reluctant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Simple Class

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saiditallbefore](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saiditallbefore/gifts).



> Season One Justice League setting.

The serenity of space called to J'onn as he waited upon the observation deck for his students. There was peace offered there, and yet as his eye inexorably tracked to the distant locale of his homeworld, he knew for the lie it was.

There was no peace in loneliness, after all.

"J'onn?"

The alien turned… to find he was not the only alien on deck. Superman stood there, a bold reminder that someone not of Earth could find a home here. Then Hawkgirl entered, and J'onn saw the other side of the die. Hawkgirl, like himself, had come here as an adult, not a child, and still stood apart from all. Even the obviously romantic tension between her and the Green Lantern had not bridged that gap fully.

"Greetings, Superman; Hawkgirl," he intoned. "I expect the rest of the team shortly, if you wish to partake of refreshments first." He indicated the coffee urn, tea kettle, and snacks Batman had suggested he provide for the class today.

"Thanks, big guy," Superman said, going to do just that. Hawkgirl eyed them a moment, then walked over to where J'onn was near the port screens.

"I'm still not sure I want to do this," she told him.

"I know. But we all have a need to be able to guard ourselves should more like Gorilla Grodd appear to threaten this world," J'onn told her. "I promise that I will not infringe on your privacy. It would be anathema to me. Only in dire need would I press past the public mind to seek more information."

"Didya start the party without me?" Flash asked as he zipped in. "Hey, Big Blue, we still on for the charity race? Oh, Hawkgirl, hey, thanks for the help at the orphanage," he continued, but he had no individual greeting for J'onn, and that made him falter. He came right up to J'onn, and the Martian started to speak, to ease Flash's need to include everyone by speaking to him, but the Fastest Man Alive beat him to it. "J'onn, it's really swell you're doing this!"

"Thank you, Flash," he said, keeping his surprise from showing, given how little Hawkgirl wished to do it. 

"No prob… hey, donuts!" The food beckoned to the hyperactive hero, leaving J'onn to regard Hawkgirl a little more closely. 

"We all have secrets, and inner concepts that are not meant to be shared. This was true even on my world, where all were joined by a Great Mind." He kept his voice low, aware that Superman would not eavesdrop out of sheer politeness.

"I know, and I understand what you are doing for us, J'onn. I just … my people have a deep suspicion and distaste for those rare beings that rise above the norm."

J'onn gave a smile, though it was tight and strained, at that. "We, Hawkgirl, are all 'above' the norm for this planet we reside upon, even Batman. But I understand the gist of that concept. It was likewise a familiar sentiment among my people, to fear the ones who were different."

She tilted her head slightly, the optics of her mask refocusing with her intense concentration on him. "Among a race of telepathic shapeshifters, who would be different enough to inspire fear?"

"Those who did not wish to touch the Great Mind, or those who could not," J'onn told her, a hint of personal sadness in his voice there.

Hawkgirl nodded then. "I'll listen, J'onn, but I make no promises beyond that."

"Of course."

Further conversation was halted by Green Lantern arriving with both Batman and Wonder Woman. J'onn listened to the greetings, noting that Diana was personable to all, and Batman really only seemed to be indulging this as a necessity. J'onn saw that as a mask, though, for it had been Batman's suggestion to attempt this class.

Green Lantern, of course, gravitated toward Hawkgirl, making J'onn wonder. Was it truly that she was avoiding the attraction between them due to feeling alien or because of whatever secrets drove her to express concerns over this class? 

"Everyone, if you will please gather over here," he finally announced, once he had seen everyone at least look toward the refreshments. "In light of what Gorilla Grodd did…"

"…brain scramble…" Flash muttered.

"… recently," J'onn continued without missing a beat, "I am going to attempt to help each of you learn how to do basic shielding and give you techniques to use against hypnosis."

He looked at each one, seeing polite interest with some, skepticism with others. Hopefully, his teammates were as bright in this as most things they had tried together.

* * *

The others had gone home, and J'onn was once more staring out into the vastness of space, savoring the experience of the pale, light connections he had made with his team.

Diana had been the fiercest, strongest touch within his mind, flavored like the raging winds and waves surrounding her homeland. The others had ranged down from that, either because of how weakly their mental energies moved, like Flash, or how guarded they actually were, like Batman.

And then there was Hawkgirl.

J'onn touched that connection over and again, trying to determine if the strong mental shielding had been built of her resistance to the exercise, or if it was an inborn racial ability. He'd never encountered one of her kind before in the infrequent alien contacts of his life, so he could not be certain.

"J'onn?"

The Martian turned, drawn out of his reverie by the very person he'd been thinking of. The coincidence made him check his own shields, but no — he had not accidentally called her to him, or left a deeper link than he had intended.

"I wanted to say thank you." Hawkgirl kept her wings folded close as she stood in the door to the observation deck. "What you offered today, I can see how it will protect the team. That's good. They need — _we_ need all the help we can get to keep people safe."

"I am relieved that you see it so, given your initial reluctance," J'onn told her.

She tipped her head slightly, wings fluttering slightly with heavy emotions. What, J'onn wondered, weighed on their ally so strongly?

"I just want everyone I care about to have what they need, and to be safe," she told him. "Even when it puts my past and present in conflict within my heart."

J'onn nodded slowly, thinking of all the changes he had made to adapt to Earth. "I believe I understand," he told her.

She did not answer him directly, moving to leave again.

He might only have imagined the soft 'I hope you do' that he barely caught before the door sealed.


End file.
